Halter



Dec. 31, 1968 J. L. SMITH 3,418,787

HALTER Filed Aug. 4, 1966 a a, E v INVENTOR.

JACK 1.; SMITH BY; Mg!

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofice 3,418,787 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This novel halter comprises four fastener means and a continuous length of flexible material configured in such a manner as to permit a handler and/or the animal to place the maximum tension on the fastener means being used as a tie ring and the flexible material, and yet place the least amount of tension on the ends of the material connected to a fastener means being used as a buckle. One end of the flexible material forming the halter is adjustably connected to the buckle and the other end is clamped to an adjacent neckpiece of the halter to hold the other end and the buckle in place.

This invention relates generally to halters and more particularly to an improved halter capable of resisting substantially greater tensile forces than has heretofore been possible and to novel clamping means for use with such improved halter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prior art halters have been found to be disadvantageous for a number of reasons. For example, many prior art halters either required the use of a large quantity of material to form same or the use of relatively expensive material if same were to be able to resist for any extended period of time the tensile forces to which said halters were subjected from time to time. As a consequence, prior art halters were either quite expensive due to the amount or quality of the material used to form same or due to the fact that same had a relatively short life. It has been found, however, that such disadvantages can be overcome through the use of a novelly formed halter wherein a continuous piece of material forming a portion of the halter and comprising a crown piece, a neck piece, and a throat piece, extends and transmits tensile forces along said continuous piece of material directly between the anchor of a halter and the crown piece thereof. More specifically, the improved halter of the subject invention comprises a piece of material including a cheek piece one end of which comprises a terminal end; however, such a halter does not include a neck piece which has one end thereof comprising a terminal end. Additionally, an improved halter is eifected through the use of a novel clamp means which utilizes, in addition to the frictional forces developed between the clamp body and the material being clamped, the shear and frictional properties of the material being clamped to resist movement between the material being clamped and the clamp iteslf.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a novel halter of an improved and simplified construction and having a configuration adapted to form means behind the jaw bone of the animal operative to bring pressure against the fleshy part of an animals throat behind the chin when the animal pulls backward and yet be sufficiently strong to resist any pull backward by the animal occurring in the normal use of the halter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel halter of soft, smooth, and pliable material, that is adjustable and is sufliciently strong for general use.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel halter made of a soft, pliable, and durable material that is efiicient and safe for general use, and more particularly, fits the animal in such a way that the halter prevents unruliness in the animal, the halter being of a minimum number of parts and yet configured in a novel manner whereby the maximum strength of the halter is obtained.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel halter that is of simple construction, inexpensive both as to material and manufacture, efficient, and extremely durable. The durability of a halter is an extremely important factor because it must withstand not only the tensile forces applied thereof by the animal wearing the same, but must also withstand the elements and abrasion, and yet be so constructed as to be adjustable for application to animals of various sizes.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a halter of flexible material such as polyethylene, the halter being constructed substantially of a single length of the flexible material in such a manner that the terminal ends of the flexible material when in use are disposed closely adjacent and coextensive with each other and extend along a check of the animal rather than being noncoextensive and with one of the terminal ends extending in a direction about the neck of the animal. The advantage of this construction resides in the terminal ends of the halter occupying a place in the halter configuration that is subjected to the least amount of tensile stress occurring during normal use of the halter, particularly when the animal is pulling back thereon. Normally the greatest amount of tension on a halter extends from the tie ring on which the lead line is anchored, through a throat piece, and continues upwardly around the neck and behind the ears of the animal on either side thereof to the crown of the halter. The novel halter construction of this invention provides for a terminal end of the continuous length of flexible material lying along one check of the animal with one end secured to'the nose piece of the halter and the other end being secured to a throat piece of the halter which withstands the maximum tension during a pull back on the halter by the animal.

The invention further resides in certain novel features of construction, combinations, and arrangements of parts and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains from the following description of the present preferred embodiment thereof described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, wherein the same reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a halter embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a clamp taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a modified clamp which may be used with a halter construction in accordance with the subject invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the clamp shown in FIGURE 4 disposed in clamping engagement about two portions of a halter.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and the arrangements of parts shown in the drawing and hereafter described in detail, but is capable of being otherwise embodied and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. It is to be further understood that the terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and there is no intention to herein limit the invention beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 10 indicates generally a halter made of a continuous length of a soft, pliable, flexible, polymeric material. Preferably the flexible material consists of polyethylene. The halter has four adjustable fitting means 11, 12, 13, 14, and four clamp means 15, 16, 17 and 18. The first adjustable halter fitting means 11 is a friction buckle having three eyes 19, 20 and 21, see particularly FIGURE 3. The second adjustable fitting means 12 is a conventional tie rope anchor. The anchor 12 is of an annular configuration having intercommunicating eyes 22 and 23, and a bowed and necked portion 24. The anchor 12 is of a continuous piece of metal that is not only warped in one plane, but is necked at a mid-portion to form a neck portion 24 in another plane thereof perpendicular to the one plane. The eye 23 forms a tie ring for a lead rope, not shown.

The third adjustable fitting means 13 is a conventional head piece hook having an eye 25, an eye 26, and a hook 27 and an interconnecting portion 28.

The fourth adjustable fitting means 14 is an adjustable throat buckle having eyes 29 and 30.

Each of the clamp means 15, 16, 17 and 18 are preferably of identical construction although it will be understood that clamps 17 and 18 may be replaced with clamp 31 shown in FlGURE 4. As shown in FIGURE 2, two portions of the halter 10 are gathered and pressed together. Next, a pin 32 which is formed on a buckle 33 is driven generally transversely through each of the strand portions of the halter 10. One end 34 of a metal band 35 is secured in a known fashion relative to a portion of buckle 33. The metal band 35 is wrapped about the strand portions of the halter 10, then passed through the buckle 33 and has the other end 36 thereof secured in a known fashion relative to another portion of the buckle 33. Although the band is shOWn encompassing the strand portions only once, it will be appreciated that same may encompass the strand portions two or more times if desired. The band 35 tightly encompasses the strand portion of the halter 10 to eliminate relative displacement of either of said strand portions relative to said band. The band 35 may be secured in the manner aforedescribed with any of several devices such as the device shown in US. Patent No. 3,258,040. The use of a buckle 33 having a pin 32 as shown provides a clamp connection of improved characteristics as compared to previous clamped connections. In the clamped connection shown, the pin 32 extends substantially completely through the material thereby greatly improving the clamping force by combining the frictional interface forces existing between the clamp and the material with the shear strength of the material.

The halter 10 has two terminal ends 40 and 41, FIG- URE 1. The terminal end 40 is fixed while the end 41 is free and adjustable in the buckle 11. The end 40 extends downwardly along the cheek of the head of the animal, not shown, from a point behind the eye, below the ears, and at or near the neck of the animal so as to form a cheek piece 42. The halter 10 further extends downwardly beneath the chin of the animal so as to form a chin piece 43. The halter further extends upwardly and over the nose of the animal so as to form a nose piece 44, and downwardly coextensive with the chin piece 43 so as to form a second chin piece 45. The halter extends upwardly along the other cheek of the animal so as to form another cheek piece 46 to the buckle 13, through the eye 25 of the buckle 13, around the buckle connecting portion 28, and back through the eye 25 of the buckle 13, and downwardly along the neck of the animal behind the head so as to form a neck piece 47. The halter 10 further respectively extends into and out of the eyes 29 and 30 of the adjustable throat buckle 14 downwardly along the throat and beneath the chin of the animal so as to form a throat piece 48. The throat piece 48 extends to the anchor 12 and extends into the eye 22, around the neck portion 24, and back through the eye 22 of the anchor 12 and thence to the throat buckle 14 to form another throat piece 50. The two chin pieces 43 and at a mid-point thereof are tightly sandwiched between the neck portion 24 0f the anchor 12 and the throat pieces 48 and 50 of the halter 10. The throat piece 59 extends into and out of the eyes 31) and 29, respectively, of the adjustable throat buckle 14, and continues upwardly along the throat of the animal opposite of the neck piece 47 so as to form another neck piece 51. A portion of neck piece 51 is substantially coextensive with the terminal end 40 of the halter 10. The halter 10 extends up around the neck and behind the ears of the animal so as to form a head or crown piece 52. The crown piece 52 extends through the eye 26 of the buckle 13, around the hook 27, and back through the eye 26 of the buckle 13. The halter 10 extends back around the neck behind the ears of the animal so as to form asecond crown piece 53. The crown piece 53 extends through the eye 19 of the adjustable buckle 11, down through the eye 20, back out through the eye 21 thereof, and terminates in end 41.

The terminal end 40 of the halter 10 extends over and in through the eye 21 of the buckle 11 and is clamped on either side of the buckle 11 by the clamps 17 and 18 at two closely spaced points where the cheek piece 42 and the neck piece 51 are contiguous. The buckle 11 is therefore pivotally connected between the pieces 42 and 51, and confined between the clamps 17 and 18, applied to the pieces 42 and 51 in the manner described hereinabove. The buckle 11 cannot be lost or misplaced unless one of the clamps 17 or 18 is removed. The length of the crown piece of the halter 10, comprising the bands 52 and 53, is easily adjusted to fit the head of the animal.

The halter size can be readjusted by relocating the clamps 15, 16, 17 and 18.

It is noteworthy that the halter 10 can be placed in tension by forces applied as indicated by the arrows A and B. This can be accomplished by a lead line being secured to the tie ring 23 and the animal wearing the halter 10 pulling back so as to apply pressure coextensive with the arrow B, FIGURE 1. Opposite forces applied in tension at points coextensive with the arrows A and B of FIG- URE 1 results in tension on the throat pieces 48 and 50, neck pieces 47 and 51, and the band 52 of the crown piece. Tension is placed upon the cheek piece 42 only after the tension forces have traveled through the throat piece 48, the neck piece 47, the buckle 13, the cheek piece 46, the chin piece 45, the nose piece 44, and the chin piece 43. The cheek piece 42 transmits tensile forces back to the crown piece 52 via clamps 17 and 18.

The clamps 15, 16, 17 and 18 must be respectively traversed by any tensile forces traveling along the length of the continuous strand of flexible material of which the halter 10 is made before the halter end 40 may be separated due to excessive strain. In other words, the path of travel of tensile forces and particularly shock forces applied to the halter 10 are applied against the weakest points last and not first. This is because the terminal end 40 is integrally connected to the cheek piece 42 rather than to the neck piece 51 as in prior art halters. Moreover, the clamps 15, 16, 17 and 18 absorb to a considerable degree the tensile forces applied at these various points so as to block substantially the transmission of tension throughout the entire length of the single strand of which the halter 10 is fashioned.

In the alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 3 similar reference numerals indicate similar parts of the invention shown in FIGURE 1. A material of substantially circular cross-section is shown in the embodiment of FIGURE 3.

The halter in FIGURE 3 is indicated generally by the reference numeral and comprises adjustable fitting means 11, 12, 13 and 14 and the clamp means 15, 16, 17 and 18. The difference between the halters 10 and 60 resides in the use of only a single chin piece 61 and thus eliminates the extra loop that comprises the nose piece 44 and the second chin piece 45 of FIGURE 1. In lieu of the nose piece 44 of FIGURE 1, a nose piece 64 consisting of a segment of flat fiexile material is clamped at the ends thereof by the clamps 15 and 16 to opposite 5 ends of the chin piece 61 of the halter 60. The broad band of material comprising the nose piece 64 provides adequate frictional resistance to prevent the constant sliding down of the nose piece that tends to irritate and generally rub raw the nose of the animal wearing the halter 60.

In FIGURE 4 is shown a clamp 31 which may be used in lieu of the pair of clamps 17 and 18. The clamp 31 comprises a body portion 65 having transversely extending portions 66 formed adjacent opposite ends of the body portion 65. Each of the transverse portions 66 has a tab portion 67 disposed generally perpendicular to the trans verse portion 66. Each tab portion 67 is shown as comprising an integral portion of its respective transverse portion 66. As a result, each transverse portion 66 has an opening 68 formed therein which as shown will be generally triangular in shape.

In FIGURE 5 is shown a cross-sectional view of a portion of the clamp 31 as same is secured about two portions of the halter 10. In FIGURE 5 it will be noted that each of the tab portions 67 penetrates into a respective one of the halter portions and serves the general purpo e as the pin 32 of the buckle 33.

From the foregoing, it will be readily appreciated that an improved halter having greatly increased strength characteristics has been described. The halter of the subject invention permits full utilization of the strength characteristics of the material used to form same principally due to the fact that any tensile forces applied to the halter are resistant primarily by the strength characteristics of the material used to form the halter rather than the clamping forces generated by the use of clamps 17 and 18 as was the case with prior art halters. With prior art halters, the transmission of tensile forces between the crown piece and the anchor 12 was resistant primarily by a clamp or clamps which were used in the same location as clamps 17 and 18. However, such clamps were capable of resisting only approximately one-half of the tensile force that the material, which was used to form the halter, was capable of resisting itself. Thus, the problems encountered with prior art halters in which same were rendered unusable as a result of the failure of a clamp or clamps used at the locations of clamps 17 and 18 as described herein have been completely eliminated. As a consequence, a halter constructed in accordance with the subject invention is not only inexpensive to manufacture but the life thereof has been substantially increased as a consequence.

What is claimed is:

1. A halter of the character described for the head of an animal comprising, first adjustable fitting means adapted to be located on a neck behind the head below the ears of an animal, second adjustable fitting means, third adjustable fitting means, fourth adjustable fitting means, a single length of flexible material having one end connected to said first adjustable fitting means and adapted to extend downwardly along the check of the head of an animal to form a cheek piece, thence extending beneath the chin of the head of an animal contiguous with said second adjustable fitting means and therebeyond to form a chin piece, thence extending upwardly along another cheek of the head of an animal to said third adjustable fitting means, thence looping through and around and back through said third adjustable fitting means, thence extending down along the neck of an animal through said fourth adjustable fitting means, said fourth fitting means adapted to be located at a sensitive point beneath the throat of the neck of an animal, thence extending forwardly to the chin of an animal through and around and back through said second adjustable fitting means, thence extending and retracing back through said fourth adjustable fitting means, thence extending upwardly along the neck of an animal to said first adjustable fitting means contiguous with said one end of said flexible material, thence further extending upwardly along and around the neck behind the ears of an animal and downwardly to form a crown piece and into and around and back out of said third adjustable fitting means, thence extending and retracing upwardly around the neck behind the ears of an animal and downwardly to form a double crown piece through and out of and through again and out of said first adjustable fitting means, first clamp means clamping the contiguous portions of said flexible material at said one end thereof relative to said first adjustable fitting means in such a manner that the latter is pivotally connected to said contiguous portions of said flexible material, means of flexible material forming a nose piece extending generally parallel to said chin piece, and second and third clamp means respectively clamping opposite ends of said nose piece to said chin piece at the extremities thereof on either side of said second adjustable fitting means.

2. A halter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said nose piece comprises the extension of said flexible material forming said chin piece around and over the nose of an animal and back around under the chin of an animal to form a double chin piece.

3. A halter as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said clamp means comprises a transversely extending pin extending through contiguous portions of said flexible material and a band of permanently deformable material tightly disposed about said pin and said flexible material for retaining said pin in place.

4. A halter as set forth in claim 3, wherein said band has two contiguous juxtaposed ends each of which are folded together in a generally U-shaped configuration with one end of one of said configurations being tucked beneath the other end.

5. A halter of the character described for the head of an animal comprising, first adjustable fitting means adapted to be located on a neck behind the head and below the ears of an animal, second adjustable fitting means, third adjustable fitting means, fourth adjustable fitting means, a single length of flexible material forming a cheek piece and having one end connected to said first adjustable fitting means and adapted to extend downwardly along a cheek of the head of an animal, thence extending beneath the chin of the head of an animal past said second adjustable fitting means and therebeyond to form a chin piece, thence extending upwardly along another cheek of the head of an animal to said third adjustable fitting means, thence connecting to said third adjustable fitting means, thence extending down along the neck of an animal to said fourth adjustable fitting means which is adapted to be located at a sensitive point beneath the throat of the neck of an animal thence extending forwardly to the chin of an animal to said second adjustable fitting means, thence extending and retracing back to said fourth adjustable fitting means, thence extending upwardly along the neck of an animal to said first adjustable fitting means adjacent said one end of said flexible material, thence further extending upwardly along and around the neck behind the ears of an animal downwardly to said third adjustable fitting means, thence extending and retracing upwardly around the neck behind the ears of an animal and downwardly to form a double crown piece and connected to said first adjustable fitting means, and means forming a nose piece.

6. A halter as set forth in claim 5 wherein said nose piece means comprises the extension of said flexible material of said chin piece up and across the nose of an animal and back around under the chin of an animal to form a double chin piece.

7. In a halter of the character described for the head of an animal comprising, a buckle located at a neck of the animal, an anchor having a tie ring for a lead rope, and a single length of flexible material having a first end secured to said buckle and the other end buckled to said buckle; the improvement comprising, the extension of said flexible material from said other end downwardly along a cheek of the head of an animal when torn there- 7 by to form a cheek piece, and thence the extension of said flexible material below the chin of an animal past said anchor to form a chin piece, and means forming a nose piece connected to said chin piece.

8. In a halter as set forth in claim 7, wherein said nose piece means comprises the extension of said chin piece up and over the nose of an animal and back around under the chin of an animal to form a double chin piece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Miller ,24-123 X Johnson 54-24 Beckwith 5424 Johnson 5424 Green 54-85 Crandall 5424 Whitehead et a1. 24123 X Crandall 5424 Henry 54-24 US. Cl. X.R. 

